[The Splash DocParticipant]

Every year we have a surprise team in the Playoffs or during the season last year we had the Bucks and Thunder who do you think is poised to make a run not necessarily Playoffs but just give teams a fight and have a solid record.

I doubt Memphis is a surprise even New York or Sacremento would surprise many but I’d have to say the Indiana Pacers may very well be a 41-41 team next year.

Core players include- Granger-Hibbert-Collison-George-Hansbrough-Posey-Stephenson-Jones-Rush and Dunleavy they have a great coach and solid fan base and can challenge for the 8th seed.

Heat-Magic-Celtics-Bulls-Hawks-Bucks are shoe ins

Knicks-Wizards-Bobcats-Pacers will make up the other 2 teams getting in

who do you think will make an unexpected run this year

[cp33Participant]

 I don’t know if people would consider the Suns a surprise team to make the playoffs but so many people don’t have them as a top 8 seed in the west right now. It seems like every year, they are supposed to fade away. And even with no Amare, I think they will do much better than people expect this year. They did pretty good without him a few years ago with Diaw as the starting 5. I’ll take any team with Nash(minus Shaq and Terry Porter) to make the playoffs. I think realistically, they could be anywhere from the 4 to 7 seed. They also have the deepest bench in the league. I think the success of this team hinges on Robin Lopez. He needs to have a career year.

[SwatLakeCityParticipant]

 I like your thinking CP33 but the Suns don’t really have someone to replace Amare. They lost Diaw, and added Warrick. Warrick has had opportunities to shine before but has failed. He could do well playing alongside Nash, but I’m not promising anything. I’m thinking the Suns are going to have to rely on Hedo and Childress to play the 4 and therefore play small ball. And that will be where they struggle. 

Sorry but I’m going with the Pacers on this one. I really like that trade they made to get Darren Collison. It will be interesting to see what he can do without Chris Paul teaching him every timeout or every day off. 

[BasterdInABasketParticipant]

If Agent Nine can produce maybe 18-20 ppg efficiently then they have one of the most versatile backcourts in the league with Walls speed and playmaking and Hinrichs defense. They have alot of talent and with the roster they have should go from having the #1 pick to battling for the 7 or 8 seed

Wall / Hinrich 

Arenas / Young

Thornton / J Howard

Blatche / Yi / Booker

McGee / Armstrong

Theyre in the same division as MIA ORL and ATL which is tough but this is a pretty talented team

 

[cp33Participant]

Jazzfan, Hedo will start 4 but play the majority of the game at 3. The Suns are small no doubt, but saying a SG will play the PF position is a bit much. Not even Golden State does that! Childress is playing the 2 and 3 and will only see minutes at the 4 if all the other bigs get injured. The backup 4’s are Channing Frye(Will play a lot of 5), Hakim Warrick, Gani Lawal, and Earl Clark. The Suns will be small and have rebounding difficulties, but that has been their problem every year. It’s always the same thing. What makes this year so different? 

[utehawkfan1026Participant]

 my sleepers for making the playoffs would be the clippers or the kings. Both teams depend on how good their big men do. If Blake Griffin or Demarcus Cousins have a great year i can see one of these teams sneaking into the playoffs. I doubt either team will this year, but if they reach their full potential i can see it happening. Also it really depends on if Baron Davis can be an elite point guard this year like he was at Golden State. I feel like the addition of Randy Foye gives them more offense then last year, and the addition of Samuel Dalembert is a good pickup because the kings had no shot blocker last year. Hopefully one of these teams will sneak into the playoffs cus it would be exciting to watch.

Now Regardless if the Suns got rid of Amare Stoudemire the suns made it to the conference finals… and they shouldn’t be in this category of a suprise playoff team. Especially when they picked up turkoglu and childress. 

[butidonthavemoney]

utehawkfan – Well put.

My surprise team is the Cavs. I think they will finish between the 8th and 10th seeds in the East.

[Counting StarsParticipant]

I’d have to go with the Clippers and Cavs.

Any team that gets to add Blake Griffin, an improved Eric Gordon and a few solid extra pieces has a great chance to make a run.

I know the Cavs won’t be as good for obvious reasons, but I think they have enough weapons they can still be dangerous. The center position is an obvious concern and I’m not sold on Eyenga, but they do have Byron Scott as their coach.Could be worse.

I like the Pacers a lot, but I think Murphy is going to leave a bigger hole than some realize and with injury concerns with Hansbrough and Foster, Indy is going to have some trouble inside. I believe Hibbert and McRoberts will show improvements and be solid, but two men does not a front court rotation make.

[mj23mj23besteverParticipant]

i agree wiht the people saying the suns because like they said people have written them off wiht losing amare if is a big if hedo comes back to his orlando form they will be very dangerous j childress was a fantastic pick up hell thrive playing along side nash also really like the wiz this year imo gilbert a is gonna behave and put up very solid numbers this year and looking for to alot of alley oops from j wall to javale all year long

[llperez]

sixers, i have them making the playoffs. I thnk brand bounces back a little and iggy really embraces the role he played for team usa as a distributor and defender. Hawes and nocioni add another couple shooters. Turner provides depth. Holiday should break out. They have good athletes lke speights and young and lou will.

[Michael.S.Participant]

How the Cavs? Lets not let us being sorry for them affect how good we think they’ll be. Their team sucks. They have not one consistent scorer and their best guy is a 6-0 shooting guard. They will be around the 20 win mark.

The Wizards will be a surprise team. They are absolutely solid at each position. And they are spectacular in the backcourt(Supposing Arenas could stay healthy). They could make the playoffs if luck goes their way.

[NJHooper95Participant]

I think theNets, Yes the Nets will make some noise this season and maybe, just maybe get an 8th seed no lower than ten. No way the Nets duplicate last seasons disaster. They are a much improved team this year with Lopez a year better, the additions of Morrow, Outlaw, Murphy, Farmar, and Favors. Not to mention a possible coming out party for Terrence Williams and the addition of Avery Johnson. I know it sounds nuts now, but holla me around February and see how crazy I really am. Barring injuries I think these guys will be a solid team.

[Jlv2010]

Kings.  They will grab the 8th seed and play the Lakers in the first round.  However, a controversial game 6 will spoil any chances of the kings advancing to the next round. 

[llperez]

if lakers and kings meet this year, there wont be any game 6.

[Michael.S.Participant]

 "However, a controversial game 6 will spoil any chances of the kings advancing to the next round. "

Karma works the other way around…

[Jlv2010]

a fix.

[NJHooper95Participant]

Lakers meet kings be lucky to go 5. Dnt think we will have to worry about any controversy during game six.

[SwatLakeCityParticipant]

 Last I checked Childress was a 3 somewhere between 6’8 and 6’9. Usually you don’t see that height at the 2. And I’m not a Suns fan nor a Hawks fan so I don’t pay too much attention to Childress. But the point is the Suns will be small this year and that is where they will struggle. 

I’m still going with the Pacers or Wizards or both. 

[sammybuckeye13Participant]

They wouldn’t make any noise IN the playoffs, but I love the improvements they made, especially down low; Hawes and Thompson weren’t necessarily intimidating, while Dalembert is an elite rebounder/shot blocker and Cousins will add even more toughness, even if he’s sort of erratic. Evans will make even more strides, and Casspi and Greene can only improve.

I see their seasons exactly like the Bulls’ 09-10 campaign did; make the playoffs and get destroyed by the 1 seed despite their dominant PG putting up ridiculous numbers. 

[I NO NOTHINGParticipant]

nets will be the biggest surprise playoff team if they get contributation like yesterday and not to mention troy murphy didnt play. They did beat a bad team but if they get everynight contributation they will be fine and they are so much more depth that with BOONE HAYES HASSELL YI.

[jay_peezie3Participant]

will be the New Orleans Hornets. Their best year came when peja was more than a corpse. CP3 if healthy has weapons to finish off his dimes. Health is the only thing that will keep them out of the playoffs. The Clippers will also be vying for that last western playoff spot. The Nets will be in it til the last month, for they are too young and need one more scorer, esp. at SF.

 

Biggest surprises: Hornets (back to playoffs), Clippers, (fight for playoffs…come on Baron…i know you have at least a few more good seasons in you), and Nets (win up to 35 games this year)

[xavier328Participant]

Nets because they have my boy T-Will

and the Clippers they’re pretty deep! and can score with almost anyone!

[butidonthavemoney]

You don’t need a big time scorer to be competitive. Once Yao got injured, everybody was writing the Rockets off last season. I said that they were too tough and experienced to go down that easily. I specifically said that if T-Mac played less than 41 games for the Rockets, then they would finish in the 8th or 9th position in the West.

If the Cavs don’t hold themselves back by whining over the LeBron mess, they could easily make the playoffs. Sometimes not having a main scorer can actually help your team. They still have defenders, shooters and a good deal of potential in Hickson, Powe, Sessions and Eyenga.

[Michael.S.Participant]

"If the Cavs don’t hold themselves back by whining over the LeBron mess, they could easily make the playoffs."

Syke!!!

[butidonthavemoney]

It’s Psych.

Second, it is not as improbable as you think. The Cavs are in a good position to be competitive for a playoff position next season. The Knicks, Nets, Pacers and Sixers aren’t exactly scaring anyone.

[utehawkfan1026Participant]

 Now the Cavs making the playoffs is one hell of a surprise! … but i hope your right

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